Four teams still in the running for Tankard title

The Guardian

Published: Jan 11 at 7:07 p.m.

Mike Spencer, second stone for Darren Higgins Silver Fox rink, appears fenced in with curling brooms as he releases a rock during P.E.I. Tankard provincial men's curling championship action at the Western Community Curling Club. Higgins won an elimination game 10-4 over club mate Jamie Newson Friday. He plays Tyler Smith in Saturday's 9 a.m. draw. - Eric McCarthy

Likely and MacKenzie assured of a play-off game

ALBERTON -- The field still in the running for the P.E.I. Tankard provincial men’s curling championship has been trimmed to four teams. Two rinks from the Silver Fox, skipped by Steve van Ouwerkeerk and Jamie Newson, were eliminated in Friday’s afternoon draw.

Van Ouwerkerk fell 8-6 to John Likely despite scoring in six of the game’s 10 ends, and Newson lost 10-4 to Darren Higgins, the only Silver Fox rink still in the hunt.

Also still very much in the running for the championship and the right to represent P.E.I. at the Tim Hortons Brier in Brandon, Manitoba, March 2 to 10, are P.E.I. junior champion Tyler Smith and defending Tankard champion Eddie MacKenzie. Those teams met in the ‘B’ Qualifier Friday afternoon with MacKenzie prevailing 6-3. MacKenzie has now notched three straight wins after losing his opening game. Smith now has a 2-2 record and will play Higgins (1-2) in Saturday’s 9 a.m. draw.

Likely, the ‘A’ Qualifier winner, takes a 3-1 record into his Saturday morning game against MacKenzie. Winners of those games meet in the ‘C’ event final Saturday at 7 p.m. That’s not the end of it, though. Because they have each won a qualifier, MacKenzie and Likely have already secured a spot in Sunday’s playoffs. Either Higgins or Smith would need to win two games in a row Saturday to join them there. There will be a play-off game at 9 a.m. Sunday and, possibly a sudden-death one at 2 p.m.